US EditionAn Old Tradition Finds New Life as Germans Flock to Forests to Collect Mushrooms
Pandemic restrictions and veganism have boosted mushroom hunting in Germany, with experts noting a rise in interest and caution due to poisonous varieties, officials said.
- In recent years, Bivour, 75-year-old retired meteorologist and fungi connoisseur, led a tour in an oak and beech forest on Potsdam's outskirts, focusing on ecosystem education over basket-filling and noting growing interest.
- Social media images went viral and coronavirus pandemic restrictions pushed people outdoors, while the vegan lifestyle and interest in medicinal fungi helped revive mushroom hunting.
- Tim Köster, 25-year-old university student from Berlin, said he wants to find porcini among Germany's more than 14,000 different kinds of mushrooms, and Margit Reimann reported surprise at edible varieties.
- Hospitals report being asked to treat suspected poisonings as many new mushroom hunters approach collecting cautiously, while several people die each year after eating death caps, often immigrants from the Middle East.
- Urania's managing director Karin Flegel said Bivour's classes fill up instantly, while participants say they enjoy mushrooms but don't fully trust their identification skills.
26 Articles
26 Articles
The Independent
The old tradition enjoying a comeback thanks to veganism
While rural communities have long foraged, urban populations are now also discovering its appeal
Mushroom Mania: Germany's Fungi Foraging Renaissance
Mushroom Mania: Germany's Fungi Foraging Renaissance Across Germany, the age-old practice of mushroom hunting is seeing a notable revival. The combination of COVID-19 restrictions pushing urban dwellers into nature and a growing interest in vegan lifestyles has led to more people donning baskets for a trip to the woods in search of fungi.Leading the movement is Wolfgang Bivour, a well-known figure in the mushroom hunting community. With over fiv…
Associated Press News
An old tradition finds new life as Germans flock to forests to collect mushrooms
Wolfgang Bivour, a renowned fungi expert in Germany, leads mushroom hunting tours near Potsdam. This activity, once a necessity after World War II, is seeing a revival.
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